MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — As U.S. House and Senate agriculture committee leadership begins drafting the 2018 Farm Bill, the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) this week joined over two dozen other organizations in calling for a law that greatly strengthens agricultural conservation provisions.

“The next farm bill must ensure that farmers and ranchers have access to a variety of tools they can choose from to conserve, manage, and enhance shared natural resources, while simultaneously promoting increased productivity and sustainability of their operations,” wrote LSP and the other signatories to the letter, which included farm, food, wildlife and environmental organizations. “We urge Congress to provide a much-needed increase in conservation funding while improving program flexibility, conservation benefits, and accountability through an emphasis on program outcomes.”

The letter, which is available here, was sent to members of the Senate and House Congressional agriculture committees. During the past several months. LSP has been holding a series of on-farm meetings with Congressional agriculture committee members and leaders, during which farmers have made it clear they would like to see more support for economically viable farming practices that build soil health and improve water quality.

LSP is a Minnesota-based private, nonprofit, membership organization founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop healthy communities. The organization has offices in the Minnesota Communities of Lewiston, Montevideo and South Minneapolis.